Top 10 World's Most Expensive Cities For Expats

To find the world cities that are costliest for expatriates, Mercer, a global research firm that advises multinational firms on the price of relocating employees, studied 214 urban centers where international firms do business. They compared the costs of over 200 everyday items that have broad international appeal. Thanks to a depreciated dollar, no U.S. cities made the list this year. Three African cities that Mercer added to its survey scored highly.
10. Copenhagen, Denmark

2009 Ranking: 7
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $2,755.18
Cup of coffee: $6.06
Two movie tickets: $40.41
Fast-food hamburger: $10.28

9. Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2009 Ranking: 5
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $4,248.45
Cup of coffee: $5.79
Two movie tickets: $19.31
Fast-food hamburger: $3.35

8. Zurich, Switzerland

2009 Ranking: 6
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $2,984.74
Cup of coffee: $5.13
Two movie tickets: $35.44
Fast-food hamburger: $10.54

7. Libreville, Gabon

2009 Ranking: not ranked
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $2,083.30
Cup of coffee: $4.17
Two movie tickets: not available
Fast-food hamburger: $27.08

6. Osaka, Japan

2009 Ranking: 2
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $2,218.21
Cup of coffee: $6.10
Two movie tickets: $39.93
Fast-food hamburger: $7.21

5. Geneva, Switzerland

2009 Ranking: 4
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $4,010.75
Cup of coffee: $5.13
Two movie tickets: $29.85
Fast-food hamburger: $10.54

4. Moscow, Russia

2009 Ranking: 3
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $3,600
Cup of coffee: $8.29
Two movie tickets: $26.53
Fast-food hamburger: $5.67

3. Ndjamena, Chad

2009 Ranking: not ranked
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: not available
Cup of coffee: $3.12
Two movie tickets: not available
Fast-food hamburger: $26.04

2. Tokyo, Japan

2009 Ranking: 1
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $4,436.42
Cup of coffee: $6.65
Two movie tickets: $39.93
Fast-food hamburger: $7.21

1. Luanda, Angola

2009 Ranking: not ranked
Monthly cost to rent a luxury two-bedroom apartment: $7,000
Cup of coffee: $3.80
Two movie tickets: $26.00
Fast-food hamburger: $17.50

Top 7 Fastest Ways to Travel

Some of the world’s fastest trains, planes, boats and automobiles cater to private clientele for top dollar, while others are available to the general public and promise an unforgettable ride. Here are seven of the fastest ways to travel.
“Spirit of Australia” Boat

Photo: A model of the "Spirit of Australia"

This boat set the world water speed record of 317.6 MPH in the late ‘70s, and is still the fastest boat in the world. The boat is powered by a 6,000 horse power Westinghouse jet engine and is currently on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

L'Hydroptere Sailboat

Photo credit: Ludovic Peron, via Wikipedia

It’s the world’s fastest sailboat, reaching a speed of 69 MPH, and it's designed with hydrofoils that can make it go faster than any other type of sailboat on the waters. If you’re ready to head off on a private island getaway or explore the coast on your own, consider hopping aboard this speedy sailboat for a thrilling experience you’ll never forget.

Kawasaki Bullet Train

Photo credit: Ian Lewis, via Flickr

Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries has developed one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly super express trains that can reach speeds of 217 MPH, and is one of the most efficient, state-of-the-art trains on the market.

Gulfstream G550 Private Jet

Photo credit: Gulfstream Press Room

Clocking in at about 675 MPH, this private jet carries eight passengers and is designed with several deluxe amenities, including wireless LAN, a satellite communications system, DVD player, LCD televisions and individual temperature control units. The plane has flown nonstop from Seoul, South Korea to Orlando, Florida and is powered by enhanced Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines.

Grand Voyager

Photo credit: Kim Hansen, via Wikipedia Commons

Grand Voyager ships from Royal Olympic Cruises are some of the world's fastest cruise ships, reaching speeds of about 19.5 knots (roughly 23 MPH) and running on super-powerful engines. The ship is about 180 feet long and offers tours of the Mediterranean with stops at ports including Piraeus, Greece; Genoa, Italy; and Madeira, Portugal. The ship also features onboard entertainment and activities.

Eurostar

Photo credit: slideshow bob, via Flickr

The Eurostar is one of Europe’s fastest bullet trains, connecting Paris and Brussels to London via the English Channel. The high-speed train offers basic amenities and services, and is one of the most affordable ways to travel from country to country.

China Railways CRH3

The CRH3 is a feat of modern train technology, reaching speeds of 350 KM/H. Passengers can choose from sitting in Deluxe, First, or Second class as they are delivered to their destination of choice, proving that efficiency and comfort need not be mutually exclusive.

World’s Largest Spider Web Ever Spun

If you suffer from arachnophobia this probably is not the place for you. You had better stay away from this former stock exchange building in Vienna where you might get entangled in the world’s largest spider web ever spun. You might, however, be surprised to know that this giant spider web has not been spun by any spider. It is the handiwork of humans like us. Amazing, yet very true. The idea behind the construction of the whole structure was a dance performance. The web form evolves from the movement of dancers between the pillars. The dancers stretch the tape as they move, resulting in the formation of the web like creation. The choreography recording results in the final shape.

The spider web formation has been given shape by the designing firm known as numen/for use. The efforts of three people spread over a period of five days resulted in the creation of this awe-inspiring piece of work. In a period of 120 hours, 270 rolls of adhesive tape were used which measured 14480 meters and weighed 30 kilograms.

Giving shape to a structure as magnificent as this was not an easy task. Rolls and rolls of adhesive tape were wound around the various pillars of the hall to create the basic structure. Over this basic structure, additional rolls of tape were wound over and over again giving it the final shape. Hanging in mid air, the structure is so strong that is could easily support an average tree house.


The strength of this massive spider web is not difficult to believe based on the fact that adhesive tape is the only material used in its creation. Adhesive tapes have a pressure sensitive material coated on a plastic film. These tapes are normally resistant to weathering, sunlight, aging and have withstood numerous strength tests over time. When such tapes are laid layer upon layer, the weight bearing capacity increases massively. This is exactly what has happened here.


The hollow routes created inside the web can comfortably allow people to walk or crawl through them. Enter the world of a spider. For the first time in the history of man, someone will be able to enter a spider web, walk through it and come out unharmed. Or shall we say, emerge with a whole new experience. This is a must see for all who can make it to the venue. For those who cannot, do make it a point to view the pictures. One cannot afford to miss something as wonderful as this.

Top 10 Biggest Splits in the Sports World

With the news that Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren made their divorce official and with Frank and Jamie McCourt’s divorce starting tomorrow (August 30th), it seems dissolution is in vogue. Judging from what follows, it's not the first time. Let’s take a look at some of the other big splits in the professional sports world.

Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian/Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson

Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian

While neither of these two splits classify as a divorce, they were some of the more popular splits in the professional sporting world over the past few years.

Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian began dating in 2007 and seemed to have good chemistry, until their split in 2009. They tried to salvage their relationship by having a second go at things, but eventually broke ties for good in early 2010.
Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson began dating in late 2007 and were the talk of the entertainment world. Jessica attended a Cowboys game in which Romo played poorly and it sparked a controversy where Simpson was blamed for Romo’s poor play on the football field.
Their relationship took further criticism from the public while they were spotted during the Cowboys bye week in Mexico, with the Cowboys losing to the Giants in the playoffs a week later. Ultimately, they ended their relationship in the summer of 2009.

Jason and Karen Varitek

Jason and Karen Varitek

Married for 12 years, the Variteks filed for divorce in 2008. The interesting thing regarding this divorce was the rumor that Varitek had an affair with Red Sox reporter Heidi Watney.
Although it was never proven, the rumors circulated and ironically came about at the same time as the divorce.

Hulk and Linda Hogan

Hulk and Linda Hogan

Hulk and Linda Hogan were married for just over 20 years before they split due to Hulk’s infidelity. In 2007, while still filming for "Hogan Knows Best," Hulk had an affair with 33-year-old Christiane Plante, who worked with Hulk’s daughter Brooke on her 2006 album.
Their divorce took an interesting turn when Linda (48) began dating 19-year-old Charlie Hill, who was a student at the same high school as her children. This divorce took another turn for the worse when Hulk stated in his autobiography that he contemplated suicide after his wife filed for divorce.

Chipper and Karin Jones

Chipper Jones

Chipper met Karin while he was playing for a Braves minor-league affiliate team and they were married after the 1992 season. It was revealed in 1997 that Chipper had been having an 18-month affair with a Hooters waitress, which resulted in an illegitimate child being born.

It was later revealed that Chipper had numerous affairs in 1997. As a result, Karin divorced Chipper.

Frank and Jamie McCourt

Frank and Jamie McCourt

One of the more popular splits in professional sports hasn’t even happened yet. Although it appears imminent, Frank and Jamie McCourt are undergoing the divorce process and the way they have gone about this process has frozen the finances of the Dodgers' organization, of which both have a share.

Their divorce trial begins on August 30^th and it will be interesting to see how their millions of dollars and assets will be settled.

Jason and Joumana Kidd

Jason Kidd

Jason and Joumana Kidd have three children and appeared to have a solid marriage, until 2001 when Jason Kidd was arrested and pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge. He was accused of assaulting his wife out of anger.

Jason attended anger-management classes for six months. In 2007, Jason filed for divorce, stating that Joumana would threaten to file a domestic abuse claim. Joumana filed a counterclaim stating that Jason had broken her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into a car.

Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez

Cynthia and Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod and Cynthia were married in 2002 and have two children. Rumors began circulating as early as 2004 of A-Rod’s infidelity, but the divorce did not happen for a few more years.
A couple more instances of infidelity, most notably with Madonna and a former Playboy feature girl, were reported and the divorce was finalized in 2008.

Dwyane and Siovaughn Wade

Dwyane and Siovaughn Wade

Dwyane and Siovaughn settled a nasty divorce this year after roughly three years of going through the legal system. Wade and his wife underwent one of the more interesting divorces as of late.

Siovaughn claimed that Wade had given her herpes through an affair. She also accused Dwyane of abandoning his children.
Their divorce was settled in 2010, but the custody of their children is still an on going battle.

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Married in 1989 and with three children, Michael and Juanita Jordan were divorced in 2006. It was reported that Michael had an affair with another woman that produced a child. It was determined through a DNA test that Jordan was not the father of the child.
Juanita received $168 million, which was the largest settlement for a celebrity divorce at that time.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

The latest scandal to shock the professional sporting world was the divorce of Tiger and Elin. It was a long time coming since the various reports of Woods infidelity that stemmed from a car accident in late November.
Amid the reports of the numerous women Woods had been with, the divorce seemed imminent. It became official last week and now the public waits to see what type of settlement is reached. Elin could challenge Juanita for the richest settlement to be reached for a celebrity divorce.

Top 10 List American Banks

There is large number of banks in America with large quantity of assets capital, but here I arrange top ten Banks in USA and these banks are so famous as American banking and financial institutions, these banks are as under with their assets.

Rank: 01

Name of Bank: Bank of America Corp
Headquarter: Charlotte, N.C..
Assets: $1,082,243,000

Rank: 02

Name of Bank: J. P. Morgan Chase & Company
Headquarter: Columbus, Ohio
Assets: $1,013,985,000

Rank: 03

Name of Bank: Citigroup
Headquarter: New York, N.Y
Assets: 706,497,000

Rank: 04

Name of Bank: Wachovia Corp.
Headquarter: Charlotte, N.C.
Assets: $472,143,000

Rank: 05

Name of Bank: Wells Fargo & Company
Headquarter: Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Assets: $403,258,000

Rank: 06

Name 0f Bank: U.S. BC
Headquarter: Cincinnati, Ohio
Assets: $208,867,000

Rank: 07

Name of Bank: Suntrust Banks, Inc.
Headquarter: Atlanta, Ga.
Assets: $177,231,000

Rank: 08

Name of Bank: HSBC North America Inc.
Headquarter: Wilmington, Del.
Assets: $150,679,000

Rank: 09

Name of Bank: Keybank
Headquarter: Cleveland, Ohio
Assets: $88,961,000

Rank: 10

Name of Bank: State Street Corp.
Headquarter: Boston, Mass.
Assets: $87,888,000

Top 10 Largest Sharks In The World

There are more than 360 species split across 8 orders of sharks. Some sharks are predators and some are perfectly safe. Some sharks are large and some sharks are small, but humans in general are fascinated with size and because of this I have compiled a list of the 10 largest sharks in the world. 10. Bigeye Thresher Shark

The Bigeye Thresher shark, Alopias superciliosus, is the 10th biggest shark in the world. The Bigeye Thresher can be found in tropical oceans around the world and can be found at depths up to 1650 feet deep. Bigeye Thresher sharks are of a purplish grey color and can reach lengths up to 15.1 feet long and can weigh up to 795 lbs.

9. Bluntnose Sixgill Shark

The Bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus, is the ninth biggest shark in the world and is often referred to as a cow shark. The Bluntnose sixgill shark is a member of the Hexanchidae family; most of their relatives are extinct. These sharks skin color's can range from tan/brown to nearly black in color. These sharks are known to grow as big as 15.8 feet and some larger versions have even been spotted.

8. Thresher Shark

The Thresher shark, similar to its smaller brother the 'Bigeye Thresher Shark', is another large breed of shark that can grow as long as 18 feet. The Thresher shark is the 8th biggest shark known to man and is found in tropical oceans around the world. Thresher sharks are a slender shark but don't let that fool you, these bad boys can weigh over 1100 lbs!

7. Great Hammerhead Shark

The Great Hammerhead, Sphyma mokarran is the biggest of all hammerhead sharks growing up to lengths of 20 feet. Great Hammerheads can be found around the world like most sharks in warm tropical waters. While Great hammerheads are a dange r to humans, they tend to be a shyer shark, generally avoiding humans. The heaviest Great Hammerhead caught to date was a 1280 lb female caught in Boca Grande in Florida, US.

6. Greenland Shark

The Greenland Shark, technically known as Somniosus microcephalus is a very large shark that can be found in the North Atlantic Ocean, predominantly near Greenland and Iceland. These sharks are known to grow up to 21 feet long and live as long as 200 years. They are known to be the longest living vertebrate (longest living creature with a spine). While Greenland sharks tend to be a deep water shark living at depths up to 6600 feet, they have been caught on film in shallow water in depths as low as 24 feet.

5. Pacific Sleeper Shark

The Pacific sleeper shark, Somniosus pacificus, is yet another massive shark known to grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh as much as 800 lbs. The one interesting thing about the Pacific Sleeper is that they are one of the few sharks found in polar waters year round. What also makes them interesting is they mostly live in deep waters and can be found as deep at 6500 feet below the oceans surface.

4. Tiger Shark

The Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier is the fourth largest shark in the world with a maximum length up to 24.3 feet! These humungous sharks have been known to weigh up to 2000 lbs and are known for being vicious. Not only do they eat many forms of sea life, they are also well known for attacking human swimmers. The Tiger sharks are mostly known to live tropical waters of the world but are especially common surrounding islands in the central Pacific ocean.

3. Great White Shark

The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, has got to be one of the worlds most well known vicious sharks. These sharks have been known to grow as long as 26.2 feet and weigh as much as 5000 lbs! The Great White shark is the last surviving member of its species genus, Carcharodon. Unfortunately for us as humans Great White sharks are located in coastal waters across all major oceans, so if you are on vacation, make sure you find out if they habitat the beaches where you plan on swimming!

2. Basking Shark

The basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus is an absolute beast of a shark being the second largest fish on the planet. The Basking Shark can grow as long as 40 feet and has been reported at weighing as much as 19 tons! Luckily these mammoth sharks are non predators as they are filter feeders.

1. Whale Shark

The Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus is the most humungous shark in the entire world. Luckily, they are not predators and are just another slow moving filter feeder similar to the Basking Shark. The Whale Shark can grow as long as 41 feet and weigh as much as 15 tons! The whale shark can be found in tropical and warm water oceans; they have been known to live as long as 70 years. This species is said to have originated as long as 60 million years ago!